R18+ Movies

A few weeks ago people may remember a very stupid law came in requiring all R18+ movies to be in their own section to apparently protect kids from the images on the covers.

I was in a video store the last week and saw the stupidity in action.

Fight Club containing these images were in the adults only R18+ section

While the MA15+ rated Lesbian Vampire Killers with this cover was with all the other comedy movies

The classic movie Clockwork Orange which has caused controversy since its release in the 70’s is understandably an adult only movie. But its cover is tame and I don’t see how it could cause offense to anyone

The best example of this stupidity is when you take a look at a movie series. For example the Saw Series. They should all be in the horror section. But because one out of the current 6 on DVD is rated R, it means the series gets split up.
Now if I didn’t know Saw 5 was rated R I would be looking for it in the horror section with Saw 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. But no, its in the adult section. Remembering this is NOT because of the content in the movie, just because of what may be on the cover.

Saw 5 Rated R18+

Saw 4 Rated MA15+

So on the R18+ movie we have a persons face and the MA15+ movie we have a severed head in scales with blood around. Which is worse the MA or R18+ cover?

The person who pushed for this law said that his kid picked up an adult movie, I assume he is referring to porn. Porn movies already have their own section.

Sure there are R18+ movies with covers that may not be good for kids, but at what age is the government apparently protecting. I bet there are PG movie covers which some people would consider not appropriate for a 6 year old.

The final point is movie stores were not set up to have separate areas like this so the R18+ movies are now just jammed in some corner somewhere with a sign above saying the movies here may cause offence. In this one particular store it went from R18+ movies to Sport DVD’s. Now all the R18+ horror, comedy, drama, etc is lumped in with the hard core porn.

You go to pick up an action movie like Fight Club and are now faced with porn next to it.

This law protects no one, makes it harder for the stores and inconveniences people. Its just another step towards a nanny state.

I want to know how these stupid laws keep making it through without any public consultation or debate.